Coast Guard Interdicts 37 Cuban Migrants

MIAMI – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur repatriated 37 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cubanas, Cuba, Monday who were interdicted in two seperate events on Thursday and Nov.19.

Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., watchstanders received notification Thursday from the National Park Service that the fishing vessel, Alexis M, was on scene with two Cuban migrant men floating on inner tubes seven miles south of Loggerhead Key. The crew of the fishing vessel picked up the migrants at the Coast Guard’s request and the migrant claimed they left a migrant vessel with 13 others aboard.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Pea Island was diverted and located the migrant chug nine miles south of Loggerhead Key. Nine Cuban men and four Cuban women aboard the chug were brought aboard the Pea Island. The Pea Island crew also transferred the two migrants from the Alexis M.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba interdicted a go-fast vessel carrying 24 Cuban migrants and two suspected smugglers 24 miles south of Dry Tortugas, Fla., Nov. 19. A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Clearwater, Fla., was able track the vessel until the Escanaba crew interdicted. The two suspected smugglers were transferred Wednesday to Customs and Border Protection and two migrants will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.